Toy or puzzle



(NoN-Moda.) A g o. M. GRANDALL. A l TOY l0R PUZZLE'. No.413,6'12.Paten-tied Oct. 22, 1889.

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`UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

OIYIARLESM. CRANDALL, OF WAVERLY, NEW YORK.

, TOY OR PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 413,612, dated October22, 1889. Application filed September 20, 1889- Serial No. 324,523. (Nomodel.)

York, have invented certain new and useful,

Improvements in Toys or Puzzles; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to a puzzle or toy adapted to be held in the handand operated by tilting it in various directions and it consists in thepeculiaritiesmore fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a top view of thepuzzle before it has been solved; Fig. 2, a similar view showing theposition of parts after the puzzle has been solved; and Fig. 3, a sideView, partly in section, showing the box tilted.

The letter a represents any suitable inwhen brought in contact withthem.

inclosure is provided with a transparent cover b, which permits itscontents to be seen. The iioor f is provided with a centralv depressionc, around Which is marked off any suitable design-such as a spiders webe-#having within it the points l, 2, 3, and 4. Asmall quantity ofquickslver g, suicient to enter and properly till the depression c, isplaced upon the iloor of the inclosure and in the present instancerepresents a spider. One or more pieces of non-metallic or othersuitable material which is less active or responsive to variations inthe inclination of the iloor of the inclosure are placed upon thelatter. For convenience four small disks of felt are used. Thismaterialis found especially adapted for the purpose owing to itslightness and peculiar qualities. These pieces of felt 7o Z m n eachhave a color corresponding with that of the points 1, 2, 3, and 4, andare laid loosely upon the floor of the inclosure and given such size,shape, and Weight as to lie still upon the floor during the movements ofthe quicksilver, but which will readily yield to its action The fourpieces represent flies which have been caught in the web e.

The task to be accomplished is to make the spider advance, catch, carry,or move,

and deposit each iiy upon its own point in the Web. This is done bytilting the iioor of the inclosure to make it unlevel, whereby thequicksilver, being very volatile and heavier than the felt, will rununder or against it and push or carry it to the required point upon .theiioor, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The extreme sensitiveness of thesilver renders the task of directing its movements exceedingly dicult,interesting, and puzzling. The nature of the metal will not permit thefelt to stick tol its surface. The quicksilver will engage and move thefelt from place to place andthen Withdraw without carrying the felt withit. Hence it will be seen that there are two bodies, one of Vwhich :ismore responsive to variations in its support than the other, whereby themore active one approaches, engages,'shifts, and deposits the other.thus gravitating about, the movements of the iiuid strongly resemble thequick actions of a spider or other living creature in the act ofcatching its prey. When the pieces of felt have all been deposited upontheir respective points and the quicksilver has retreated to the centraldepression, as shown in Fig, 3, then the puzzle has been solved.

Although felt has been selected as a desirable material to be acted uponby the quicksilver, yet any other suitable light substance having theproper size, shape, weight, and quality `might be successfully employed,the principal obj ect being to have it of suiiicient lightness to bereadily moved by the force of the quicksilver.

It is also evident that many other changes could be resorted to withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of my invention. Therefore I do notlimit myself to the precise construction shown.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A puzzle or similar device consisting of an inclosure containing twoor more bodies of different specific gravity movable therein, one ofwhich is arranged to come in contact with and shift the other and todeposit it at various points upon the surface it travels over,substantially as described.

2. Ina puzzle or similar device, an inclosure containing two or moremovable bodies, one of said bodies being less responsive to IOO ing adepression, a body of quicksilver located upon the floor and adapted toenter the depression, and one or more lighter bodies of 15 non-metallicsubstance adapted to be shifted by the quicksilver, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M. CRANDALL.

Witnesses:

H. H. K INNEY, L. J. BULEY.

